Climbing exerciser

ABSTRACT

A climbing exerciser includes a base mount, and left and right racks respectively located at left and right sides of the base mount and reciprocatingly moveable up and down. The left rack has a lower left member and an upper left member swivelable relative to the lower left member between a first outer position and a first inner position. The right rack has a lower right member and an upper right member swivelable relative to the lower right member between a second outer position and a second inner position. By adjusting the postures of the upper left and right members relative to the lower left and right members respectively, the climbing exerciser can shift exercise mode from one to another. Further, the climbing exerciser can provide smooth and more natural movements to the user with low noise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a fitness equipment and moreparticularly, to a climbing exerciser.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,785 (hereinafter referred to “the '785 patent”)discloses a climbing exercise machine, which is composed of a verticallyextending track structure 103, two foot pedals 114 and 116 slidablyarranged at a lower part of the track structure 103, two hand grips 118and 120 slidably arranged at an upper part of the track structure 103,and a plurality of chains 202, 214, 216 and 218 coupled with the twofoot pedals 114 and 116 and the two hand grips 118 and 120 to form aloop structure, as shown in FIG. 7 thereof. With the climbing exercisemachine, a user can do a climbing action in a so-called “homolateralpattern”, i.e. the left pedal 116 and the left grip 120 synchronouslymove upward when the right pedal 114 and the right grip 118synchronously move downward, or a “cross crawl pattern”, i.e. the leftpedal 116 and the right grip 118 synchronously move downward when theright pedal 114 and the left grip 120 synchronously move upward, asshown in FIG. 2 of the '785 patent. In this patent, to change theclimbing action from the homolateral pattern to the cross crawl pattern,the connecting locations of the chains 202 and 218 must be changed tothe conditions as shown in FIG. 3 of the '785 patent.

In the '785 patent, the two pedals 114 and 116 and the two grips 118 and120 are disposed on the track structure 103 by four sliders 142, 144,146 and 148. When the user operates the climbing exercise machine, thesliders 142, 144, 146 and 148 and the chains 202, 214, 216 and 218 willrub against the track structure 103, which not only increases theresistance but also generates unwanted noise, lowering the value of theproduct. Further, because the track structure 103 extends in a straightline, the climbing motion provided by the '785 patent to the user isrelatively mechanized, and consequently less natural. Furthermore, theposition of the track structure 103 blocks user's line of sight, givinga strong sense of oppression.

For the climbing exercise machine disclosed by the '785 patent, changingoperation mode from homolateral climbing movement to contralateralclimbing movement and vice versa is quite complicated and inconvenientbecause the chains 202 and 218 are concealed inside the track structure103 and the user must dismantle and then reinstall the chains 202 and218 in accordance with a required connecting condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-notedcircumstances. It is an objective of the present invention to provide aclimbing exerciser, which can easily shift exercise mode by simplyadjusting the structure thereof. Another objective of the presentinvention is to provide a climbing exerciser, which can be operatedsmoothly and quietly, effectively enhancing the sense of value to auser. It is still another objective of the present invention to providea climbing exerciser that can perform smooth and ergonomic motions, andconsequently provide a more natural movement to the user withoutblocking the user's line of sight.

To attain the above objectives, the present invention provides aclimbing exerciser comprising a base mount, a left rack, and a rightrack. The left rack has a lower left member disposed at a left side ofthe base mount and configured in a way that the lower left member isreciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to the base mount, and anupper left member provided with a left grip and pivotally connected withthe lower left member in a way that the upper left member is swivelablerelative to the lower left member between a first outer position and afirst inner position. The right rack has a lower right member disposedat a right side of the base mount and configured in a way that the lowerright member is reciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to thebase mount, and an upper right member provided with a right grip andpivotally connected with the lower right member in a way that the upperright member is swivelable relative to the lower right member between asecond outer position and a second inner position. The climbingexerciser can be set in an exercise mode that the left grip is spacedlylocated at a left side of the right grip when the upper left memberstays at the first outer position and the upper right member stays atthe second outer position, or in another exercise mode that the leftgrip is spacedly located at a right side of the right grip when theupper left member stays at the first inner position and the upper rightmember stays at the second inner position. As such, the climbingexerciser can easily shift exercise mode from one to another by means ofadjusting the postures of the upper left and right members relative tothe lower left and right members respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, the climbing exerciser is further composed oftwo left links and two right links. The two left links each have a firstend pivotally connected with the base mount, and a second end pivotallyconnected with the left rack, such that the left rack is reciprocatinglyand smoothly moveable up and down relative to the base mount. The tworight links each have a first end pivotally connected with the basemount, and a second end pivotally connected with the right rack, suchthat the right rack is reciprocatingly and smoothly moveable up and downrelative to the base mount. As a result, the climbing exerciser can beoperated smoothly and quietly so as to enhance the sense of valuethereof, and can perform smooth and ergonomic motions, and subsequentlyprovide a more natural movement to the user without blocking the user'sline of sight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a climbing exerciser according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the climbing exerciser of the embodiment ofthe present invention, showing that the climbing exerciser is in a stateof homolateral climbing movement;

FIG. 3 is a lateral elevational view of the climbing exerciser of theembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is another front view of the climbing exerciser of the embodimentof the present invention, showing that the climbing exerciser is in astate of contralateral climbing movement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The structure and technical features of the present invention will bedetailedly described hereunder by a preferred embodiment and accompanydrawings. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a climbing exerciser 1 provided by apreferred embodiment is composed of a base mount 10, a left rack 20, twoleft links 28, a right rack 30, two right links 38, a motion linkingdevice 40, and a resistance device 50.

The base mount 10 has a front stand 12, a rear stand 14, and an uprightstand 16 upwardly extending from the front stand 12 and the rear stand14 and having a height approximately equal to the height of a user'schest or waist. By means of the front and rear stands 12 and 14, thebase mount 10 can be stably placed on a floor, surface, or the like.

The left rack 20 is located at a left side of the upright stand 16 ofthe base mount 10 and provided with a lower left member 22 and an upperleft member 24. To concisely illustrating the present invention, theleft side and right side used in the specification are based on the viewof FIG. 2, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are notlimitative of the present invention. The upper left member 24 ispivotally connected with a top end of the lower left member 22, suchthat the upper left member 24 is swivelable about a first imaginary axisL relative to the lower left member 22. The lower left member 22 and theupper left member 24 substantially extend along the first imaginary axisL that is slightly inclined forward relative to a vertical line (notshown) perpendicular to the floor. On a bottom of the lower left member22, a left pedal 23 is provided for supporting a user's left foot. On anupper section of the upper left member 24, a left grip 25 is providedfor being held by a user's hand. Various designs to the left grip 25 maybe used. In this embodiment, the left upper member 24 is provided withthree transversally extending holes 26, into one of which a lefthandlebar 27 is inserted to form the left grip 25. By inserting the lefthandlebar 27 into different transversally extending hole 26, the leftgrip 25 can be set at a different elevation to fulfill the user'srequirement. In this embodiment, the transversally extending holes 26are realized as through holes. In other embodiment, blind holes mayserve as the transversally extending holes 26.

The two left links 28 each have a first end pivotally connected with theupright stand 16 of the base mount 10, and a second end opposite to thefirst end and pivotally connected with the lower left member 22 of theleft rack 20. The two left links 28 are arranged one above the other andparallel to each other to enable that the left rack 20 isreciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to the base mount 10 alongthe first imaginary axis L approximately. In other embodiment, one ormore equivalent members may be substituted for the two left links 28 aslong as the left rack 20 can reciprocatingly move up and down.

The right rack 30 is located at a right side of the upright stand 16 ofthe base mount 10. Similar to the left rack 20, the right rack 30 isprovided with a lower right member 32 and an upper right member 34 thatis pivotally connected with a top end of the lower right member 32, suchthat the upper right member 34 is swivelable about a second imaginaryaxis R relative to the lower right member 32. The lower right member 32and the upper right member 34 substantially extend along the secondimaginary axis R that is parallel to the first imaginary axis L. On abottom of the lower right member 32, a right pedal 33 is provided forsupporting a user's right foot. On an upper section of the upper rightmember 34, a right grip 35 is provided for being held by a user's hand.The right upper member 34 is provided with three transversally extendingholes 36, into one of which a right handlebar 37 is inserted to form theright grip 35. By inserting the right handlebar 37 into differenttransversally extending hole 36, the right grip 35 can be set at adifferent elevation to fulfill the user's requirement. In thisembodiment, the transversally extending holes 36 are realized as throughholes. In other embodiment, the structure of the right grip 35 may bemodified and blind holes may serve as the transversally extending holes36.

The two right links 38 each have a first end pivotally connected withthe upright stand 16 of the base mount 10, and a second end opposite tothe first end and pivotally connected with the lower right member 32 ofthe right rack 30. The two right links 38 are arranged one above theother and parallel to each other to enable that the right rack 30 isreciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to the base mount 10 alongthe second imaginary axis R approximately. In other embodiment, one ormore equivalent members may be substituted for the two right links 38 aslong as the right rack 30 can reciprocatingly move up and down.

The motion linking device 40 is disposed to the upright stand 16 of thebase mount 10 and linked with the left rack 20 and the right rack 30 insuch a way that the right rack 30 lowers when the left rack 20 raises,and vice versa. Various designs to the motion linking device 40 may beused. In this embodiment, the motion linking device 40 is composed of aplurality of pulleys 42 disposed to the upright stand 16 of the basemount 10, and a flexible member 46 wound around the pulleys 42. Thepulleys 42 include two vertical pulleys 43 disposed at two lateral sidesof the upright stand 16, and a transversal pulley 44 disposed at a topside of the upright stand 16. It is to be understood that thearrangement of the pulleys 42 may be modified according to an actualneed, and thus not limitative of the present invention. The flexiblemember 46 has a first end connected with the lower one of the two leftlinks 28, and a second end connected with the lower one of the two rightlinks 38. For the flexible member 46, a cable, woven or nonwoven belt,chain, elongated member, or the like may be used. As such, the motionlinking device 40 enables the left rack 20 and the right rack 30 toreciprocatingly move up and down in reverse directions. In otherembodiment, the two ends of the flexible member 46 may be respectivelyconnected with the left rack 20 and the right rack 30, or with the upperone of the two left links 28 and the upper one of the two right links38, so as to achieve the same function of the motion linking device 40in this embodiment. In other embodiment, the motion linking device 40may be omitted, and in this circumstance the left rack 20 and the rightrack 30 are operated independently.

The resistance device 50 is disposed to the upright stand 16 of the basemount 10 and coupled with the motion linking device 40 for providingadjustable resistance force to the motion linking device 40, such that acertain resistance force can be provided against the up and down motionsof the left rack 20 and the right rack 30 so as to exercise the muscleof the user. For the resistance device 50, various commerciallyavailable structural designs may be used. In this embodiment, theresistance 50 uses a brake block 52, which is abutted against a circledisc 54 that is rotated along with the transversal pulley 44, to providea required resistance force. In other embodiment, a pneumatic cylinder,hydraulic cylinder, spring or fluid damping device may serve as theresistance device 50 of the present invention. The resistance device 50may be disposed between the base mount 10 and the left rack 20 orbetween the base mount 10 and the right rack 30 so as to provide aresistance force against movement of the left rack 20 or the right rack.In another embodiment, the resistance device 50 may be omitted.

With the above-mentioned structural design, the upper left member 24 isswivelable about the first imaginary axis L relative to the lower leftmember 22 between a first outer position, as shown in FIG. 2, and afirst inner position, as shown in FIG. 4, and the upper right member 34is swivelable about the second imaginary axis R relative to the lowerright member 32 between a second outer position, as shown in FIG. 2, anda second inner position, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the climbingexerciser 1 can be set in an exercise mode of homolateral climbingmovement, as shown in FIG. 2, or in an exercise mode of contralateralclimbing movement, as shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows thatthe left grip 25 is spacedly located at a left side of the right grip 35when the upper left member 24 stays at the first outer position and theupper right member 34 stays at the second outer position. In thisexercise mode, the left and right hands of the user can hold the leftand right grips 25 and 35, respectively, to do homolateral climbingmovement. That is, the hand and foot at the homolateral side of theuser's body synchronously move up and down. FIG. 4 shows that the leftgrip 25 is spacedly located at a right side of the right grip 35 whenthe upper left member 24 stays at the first inner position and the upperright member 34 stays at the second inner position. In this exercisemode, the left and right hands of the user can hold the right and leftgrips 35 and 25, respectively, to do contralateral climbing movement.That is, the hand and foot at the contralateral side of the user's bodysynchronously move up and down. In other words, by simply swiveling theupper left member 24 and the upper right member 34, the climbingexerciser 1 can adjust its structure to shift its exercise mode from oneto another, thereby improving the disadvantages of the prior art andachieving the objectives of the present invention.

In another aspect, with the above-mentioned structural design, theclimbing exerciser 1 of the present invention can be operated by theuser smoothly and quietly. In particular, the left rack 20 and the twoleft links 28, and the right rack 30 and the two right links 38 areconnected together in a pivotally connecting manner, such that therewill be no noisy sound generated because of low friction among theaforesaid structural elements while the climbing exerciser 1 isoperated. Further, the moving traces of the left rack 20 and right rack30 substantially follow along the first imaginary axis L and the secondimaginary axis R, respectively, but on slightly bending curves. As such,the climbing exerciser 1 of the present invention can provide smooth andmore natural movements to the user. Further, because the height of thebase mount 10 is about equal to the heights of the left lower member 22and the right lower member 32 (the heights of the left lower member 22and the right lower member 32 will change within a range when theclimbing exerciser 1 is operated), none of any structural members willblock the user's line of sight, such that the user can freely watch adisplaying device, such as television screen, control panel, etc., whichis disposed in front of the user when the user is doing exercise,thereby improving the disadvantages of the prior art and achieving theobjectives of the present invention.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A climbing exerciser comprising: a base mount; aleft rack having a lower left member disposed at a left side of the basemount and configured in a way that the lower left member isreciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to the base mount, and anupper left member provided with a left grip and pivotally connected withthe lower left member in a way that the upper left member is swivelablerelative to the lower left member between a first outer position and afirst inner position; and a right rack having a lower right memberdisposed at a right side of the base mount and configured in a way thatthe lower right member is reciprocatingly moveable up and down relativeto the base mount, and an upper right member provided with a right gripand pivotally connected with the lower right member in a way that theupper right member is swivelable relative to the lower right memberbetween a second outer position and a second inner position; wherein theclimbing exerciser is configured in a way that the left grip is spacedlylocated at a left side of the right grip when the upper left memberstays at the first outer position and the upper right member stays atthe second outer position, or in a way that the left grip is spacedlylocated at a right side of the right grip when the upper left memberstays at the first inner position and the upper right member stays atthe second inner position.
 2. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim1, wherein the upper left member is swivelable about a first imaginaryaxis relative to the lower left member, and the upper right member isswivelable about a second imaginary axis relative to the lower rightmember; the first imaginary axis is substantially parallel to the secondimaginary axis.
 3. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe first imaginary axis is substantially parallel to the left rack, andthe second imaginary axis is substantially parallel to the right rack.4. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising amotion linking device disposed to the base mount and linked with theleft rack and the right rack in a way that the right rack lowers whenthe left rack raises.
 5. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 1,wherein the upper left member is provided with a transversally extendinghole, into which a left handlebar is inserted to form the left grip. 6.The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transversallyextending hole of the upper left member is a through hole.
 7. Theclimbing exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower left memberis provided with a left pedal, and the lower right member is providedwith a right pedal.
 8. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 1,further comprising: two left links each having a first end pivotallyconnected with the base mount, and a second end pivotally connected withthe left rack, such that the left rack is reciprocatingly moveable upand down relative to the base mount; and two right links each having afirst end pivotally connected with the base mount, and a second endpivotally connected with the right rack, such that the right rack isreciprocatingly moveable up and down relative to the base mount.
 9. Theclimbing exerciser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the two left links areparallel to each other, and the two right links are parallel to eachother.
 10. The climbing exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein themotion linking device comprises a plurality of pulleys disposed to thebase mount, and a flexible member wound around the pulleys in a way thatthe flexible member has a first end connected with the left rack, and asecond end connected with the right rack.
 11. The climbing exerciser asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a resistance device disposed tothe base mount to provide a resistance force against movements of theleft rack and the right rack.
 12. The climbing exerciser as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the base mount has a height substantially equal toheights of the left lower member and the right lower member.